Tubular fabric



July 14, 1931. D. H. MURPHY 1,814,223

TUBULAR FABRIC Filed Nov. 16, 1928 //Vl EN7'OR 3 2;

ATfOR/VEY Patented July 14, 1931 UNlTEl) STATES PATENT OFFICE DANIEL H. MURPHT, OF WEST HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOB, TO THE WIRE- MOLD COMPANY, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT TUBULAR FABRIC 4 Application filed November 16, 1928. Serial No. 319,885.

. This invention relates to tubular fabrics formed in part or entirely of soft, readily compressible strands of crumpled paper.

It hasbeen proposed heretofore to form tubular fabrics of relatively large twisted strands of paper interlocked with smaller out the present lnvention is-readily formed {from narrow, ribbon-likerstrips of paper that are crumpled to form more or less rounded strands that are soft and flexible and may be readily compressed to cause them to spread laterally under pressure.

These soft readily compressible paper. strands may be braided: or woven with other. strands to form a tough and durable tube or jacket that is well adapted foruse as a protecting covering for insulated conductors and for various other pur oses, and the tendency of these soft 'stran ,s to spread. laterally I under pressure serves to ipcrea'se the covering effect of the fabric. That is, if the paper strands of the tubular fabric are disposed in spaced relation to each othertheir tendency to spread laterally under pressure will de crease the spaces between the adjacent strands and thusimprove the coverin effect of the fabric, while if these strands o crumpled paper are secured close together in the fabric they will spread laterally to close the interstices between the crossing strands and thereby form a substantially impervious jacket.

These soft crumpled strands of pa er forman excellent protecting surface an can be produced at low cost. Furthermore, large strands of the crumpled paper that will build up rapidly in the fabric may be used to advantage in formin tubing since these large strands will sprea laterally under pressure to close the s aces between the adjacent strands, and wi 1 present a'relatively smooth surface at both the inner and outer faces of the fabric.

The various features of the invention will be best understood from the following description when read in connection with the accompanying drawings illustrating good practical forms of the invention. 1

In the drawings Fig. 1 is a side View of a flat strip of paper the lower portion of which is crumpled to form a rounded soft readily compressible strand;

- Rig. 2 is a perspective view of a braided tube havlng one set of strands formed ofthe crumpled paper of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view through the tube of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view ofa modified construction showing a tubular braid in which both sets of strands are formed of crumpled paper; and

The soft readily compressible strand 10 of 1 crumpled paper may be formed from a flat strip or narrow sheet of paper 11, and the strip of paper 11 may be easily crumpled into the desired soft untwisted strand by passing it through a die as shown in my copending application, Ser. No. 319,884 filed spread laterally under pressure serves to completely close the cracks or apertures between the strands 10 and at the points at which the binding strands 12pass between the paper ments of the invention that the paper strands be disposed in contacting relation with each other, since in some constructions it may be desirable to lay these strands in spaced relation to form an open fabric that will build up rapidly. In such open construction the soft paper strands will spread laterally to improve the covering effect of the fabric and to increase the smoothness of the -inner and outer surfaces of the tubular fabric, and this is true whether the fabric is braided or otherwise constructed. a

In the modified construction of Figs. 4 and 5 an all-paper braid is shown as constructed of soft crumpled paper strands 10 that are interbra-ided with smaller strands of crumpled paper 13. It will be apparent, however, that both sets of strands 10 and 13 may be of the same size if desired, and the strands may be braided tightly together as shown to form a closed braid, or if desired the strands may be arranged to form an open braid. It will also be apparent that the stands 10 and 12 of Fig. 2-may be interbraided in any preferred or well known manner,

and the same is true of the strands 10 and 13 of Fig. 4.

Tubular fabric constructed in accordance with the present invention may be employed asa protecting covering for electric conductors and for various other purposes and is shown in Fig. 4 as forming a protecting'jacket for an electric conductor 14 which is enclosed in the insulating material 15.

' A tubular fabric constructed of untwisted strands of crumpled paper in accordance "with the present invention is tough and durable, may be produced at low cost, will build up rapidly in the formation of the tube, and as a result of the spreading tendency of the paper strands will produce a substantially impervious. fabric or jacket having a comparatlvely smooth inner andouter surface.

- What is claimed is 1. A flexible conduit comprising a tubular fabric formed of binding strands and substantially untwisted strips of paper that are crumpled into rounded strands which are sufficiently soft'and compressible to spread laterally to a pronounced degree between and partly around the binding strands to close the interstices in the tubular fabric, and the soft crumpled strands of paper bein interlocked with the binding strands so t at the latter sink deep in the paper strands to facilitate the closing of the interstices in the fabric.

2. A flexible conduit comprising a tubular fabric formed of binding strands and substantially untwisted strips of paper that are" crumpled into soft, readily compressible strands adapted to spread laterally to a. pro? nounced degree in the fabric under pressure,

so as to bu ge between the bindi' strands and, close the interstices in the faric, and

stices in the fabric, and interlocked with other strands of soft crumpled paper to form an all-pa er tubular fabric in which the strands 0 one set are well embedded in th strands of the other set.

4. A flexible conduit comprising a tubular fabric formed of relatively large'untwisted strands of soft crumpled paper interlocked with smaller binder strands and the paper strands being adapted to spread laterally to a pronounced degree in the completed fabric and to spread'between and partly around the crossing strands so as to form a coarse tubular fabric that will produce rapidly and at the same time has the interstices between the strands tightly closed. 1

5. A braided tubular fabric formed of binding strands and substantially untwisted strips of paper that are crumpled into soft, thick, readily compressible strandsadapted to spread laterally to a pronounced degree in the'fabric under pressure, so as to bulge between the binding strands and close the interstices in the fabric, and interbraided with the bindin strands that sink deep into the paper strands to form a. coarse braid that ,I

will produce rapidly and at the same time closed. 7

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification. I

DANIEL H. MURPHY. 

